Earlier this year Donald Cerrone claimed that he was planning to make a comeback to continue fighting in the UFC and he’s now ending 2024 by re-entering their drug-testing program.
The 41-year-old ‘Cowboy’ would have to undergo a mandatory six-months of drug-testing before he would be allowed to compete in the Octagon again, as is the case for all returning fighters, and it seems he is fully committed to doing so as he seeks to round out his career by reaching 50 fights under the Zuffa banner (UFC / WEC).
“I just re-entered the testing pool,” Cerrone said on the ‘Pacman Jones’ show. “I have to be six months clean. Probably June, July we will make the comeback. Coming back for two more. Just two more. I want 50 fights in the UFC (under Zuffa). I promised the wife no matter what happens, no matter the outcomes – two more and that’s it.”
It’s quite surprising that Cerrone is still going forward with his plan given that Dana White seemed dead against the idea several months ago when his plan was first brought up.
“For what? What’s left to prove?” White had told reporters. “If you want to make money, let’s figure something else out. I hate it. When guys retire, they retire for a reason. They don’t just retire because—they retire because they know it’s over. They know it is.”
It’s hard to argue with that when you consider that, despite a very successful career in the sport, Cerrone bowed out in 2022 having gone winless in his last seven fights, four of which had ended via TKO.
Despite that, Cerrone retired while still having two fights left on his UFC contract, so it’ll be interesting to see how White responds in the New Year to ‘Cowboy’s’ continued push to make a comeback in the Octagon.
